


red rain coming down

by always_a_slut_for_hc



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Character Death I guess? sort of?, First Kiss, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Light Gore/Blood/Wounds, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:48:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27155467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/always_a_slut_for_hc/pseuds/always_a_slut_for_hc
Summary: Thanatos can’t imagine there’s an end to Zagreus’ seemingly boundless optimism - is there?
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 349





	red rain coming down

The House of Hades was always warm due to its location, nestled in the warm embers of the Earth. It only _felt_ cold, as Thanatos drifted through the soaringly tall marble halls to his customary balcony overlooking the pool of Styx.

Hypnos always ragged him about it, slipping in soft jabs at his brother whenever he caught Thanatos staring down at the roiling red waters. “Thinking of going fishing, Than? Cuz Zag’s quite the catch, eh?” Thanatos glared at his twin and swept past to the sound of Hypnos’ giggling. 

Hypnos wasn’t wrong, was the thing - it made Thanatos’ heart clench with want when Zagreus would rise, defiant, from the pool, blood dripping in a hundred tiny streams down his arms, his chest, his legs. Always a determined glint in those mismatched eyes.

Bubbles on the surface of the Styx heralded the arrival of the Prince and Thanatos unconsciously leaned forward on the balcony. The pattern was always the same, an unending loop that Thanatos could watch over and over and never tire of: thigh-deep in the pool, Zagreus would shake his head like Cerberus, shoulder his weapon du jour, and start up the steps with renewed determination. His first stop after greeting Hypnos would always be Than’s little balcony, a custom that lit a small ember warmth in Thanatos’ chest.

The bubbles coalesced into a splash, and Zagreus erupted from the pool like a hundred times before. Not long now, Thanatos thought, and tracked Zagreus with hungry eyes as he disappeared behind a pillar.

Than waited.

And waited.

…..And waited.

Disappointment lay heavy in Death’s chest. There’d been time enough for Zag to talk to everyone in the House two times over, but he hadn’t even approached Thanatos. Was this how Zagreus felt when Thanatos disappeared without a word? It was hypocritical of him, then, to feel so ignored.

No matter. There was always work to do, and it was derelict of his duties to even be waiting here at all, for a delinquent Prince. A distracting Prince. Thanatos shouldered his scythe and drifted back to the Great Hall, and if he drifted a little lower than usual it wouldn’t be noticeable-

There was a red-clad figure at the edge of the pool. Zagreus, it must be - but Zagreus had never looked so defeated, the lines of his hunched body speaking to exhaustion. Thanatos gave a sharp nod to Hypnos as he glided closer, and for once the fool listened, closed his open mouth, and made himself scarce.

“Zagreus?”

The Prince in question continued to gaze into the searing red of the Styx. “Hey Than,” he said finally, hollowly, and he said no more.

Thanatos fumbled for something to say. Zagreus was always the talkative one, knew just what to say to almost anyone. He was diplomatic, charismatic, funny - Thanatos was always too intense, too focused to be a good conversationalist.

“Uh. How’d it go?” Shit. Of course it hadn’t gone well, he was here, wasn’t he, what a stupid question-

“Not great,” Zagreus said flatly.

“Well, you’ll get there, Zag, I’m sure-“

“This was the hundredth time.”

“What?”

The Prince finally turned, craning his next to look up at Thanatos. Exhaustion lay heavy on his face in the bags under his eyes, in the heavier shadow of his red-black eye. When he spoke, his inflection was flattened and lifeless. “The hundredth death. I’ve died out there a hundred times.”

“Oh. I- I’m sorry.” Thanatos couldn’t help but feel guilty. Death was his job, his purpose, his _essence_ , and Thanatos couldn’t betray that integral part of himself, but to see Zagreus so despondent pulled at him.

“Not your fault.” Zagreus sighed and pulled himself up from the pool. “Guess I’ll be seeing you out there, for one hundred and one,” he said, clapping a dripping hand onto Thanatos’ shoulder for a brief moment before heading slowly towards his rooms.

Thanatos stared after him, red blood cooling and drying on his bare shoulder, and allowed himself to worry.

———

He’d never admit it to anyone, not even Hypnos, but he absconded his responsibilities as soon as he heard of Zagreus’s next escape and rushed to intercept the Prince in Elysium. Their conversation near the pool of Styx had rattled Thanatos, filling his mind with even more thoughts of Zagreus than usual. 

Besides, Hypnos probably already knew about Thanatos’ dereliction of duty, and the reasons why. His twin knew Thanatos’s dreams better than he’d like to admit. But in this matter, Hypnos had been surprisingly tight-lipped, perhaps sensing how serious it was to Thanatos, and for this he was grateful.

He arrived in Elysium just in time to see Zagreus stumble though the gate and drop to his knees. Thanatos floated over Stygius laying bloody in the grass and slowly, tentatively, reached out to touch the Prince’s bloody shoulder. The skin was littered with burns and cuts and dark bruises in the shape of chains, and there was scarcely an unmarred spot for Thanatos to touch.

Even with Thanatos’ care, Zagreus flinched at his touch, and Thanatos quickly withdrew. 

“No, please-“ burst Zagreus, and fumbled for Thanatos’ still outstretched hand. Bloody fingers slipped through his grip and thudded back to the ground, supporting Zagreus’ shaking form. Thanatos knelt and dared again to touch the Prince, this time carding through his hair. 

The broken sound Zagreus made shocked Thanatos; he’d never heard the Prince sound so defeated, so needy. It stirred an urge in him to gather Zagreus up in his arms and return him to the House, under the care of Death. 

It would not be his place. He resisted the urge, and continued to stroke through Zagreus’ hair, until the Prince sat up. 

“Hey, Than.”

‘Hey, yourself,” Thanatos returned softly. “You don’t look so good.”

Zagreus snorted. “A shame, that. I try to look my best when you’re around.”

Thanatos gave a tiny smile. That was more like his Zagreus. “Need some help?”

“I’d never turn you down, Thanatos,” Zagreus said earnestly, eyes locked on his face, and Thanatos caught the hidden meaning, caught it and savored it and committed it to memory.

“Let’s go, then.”

They turned as one to the oncoming Exalted, weapons high, and Thanatos would be lying if he said that his blood didn’t rush every time he entered a battle with Zagreus. He spun, extinguished two Exalted with a toll of a solemn bell, met another’s blade with the handle of his scythe. A quick shove, flip of the handle, and a bright sweep of sliver laid the shade to rest. Three more rose to take his place-

It seemed like more foes, this time. Was Zagreus falling down on the job? Thanatos looked back towards the Prince, and stopped dead. The three shades advancing from behind stopped dead too, then crumbled into dust under the force of Death’s concern.

Zagreus was not leaping through the fight, grinning and tossing quick one-liners like daggers, as was his custom. He was not even slicing down foes with determination and single-minded purpose. He was struggling under the weight of Stygius as his bruised and battered arms swung at a shade and bounced off its shield. He twisted with the recoil, gritting his teeth as he readied another swing-

Zagreus’ chest burst outward in a spray of blood as a spear skewered him through the back. An awful noise ripped from the Prince of Hell as he crumpled to his knees.

Thanatos made no noise, only a sharp indrawn breath, a tiny muffled whine threatening to break free from his throat, and slammed the handle of his scythe on the ground. Shades dropped, crumbling, all around them, but Thanatos only had eyes for Zagreus.

No hesitation this time - Thanatos slid to his knees in the grass beside his Prince, catching his shoulders as Zagreus listed forward. “Zag,” he said lowly, but Zagreus’ eyes were closed. “Zagreus. Zagreus!”

Dark lashes blinked over dimming red-green eyes. “Thanatos. Told you I’d see you for a hundred and one, didn’t I?”

“You did,” said Thanatos, and he cast about frantically for something to say, something to make this better. “I’ll be here for a hundred and two, Zag.”

Zagreus hitched a laugh that left blood speckled over his lips, his chin. “It’s appreciated, mate. But maybe there won’t _be_ a hundred and two,” he said hollowly.

Thanatos felt his chest tighten. “Zag…what are you saying?”

“I’m saying I’m tired, Thanatos. I never was any good at being there, in the House, and it turns out I’m not any good at getting out of it, either. And this-“ he gestured to the spearpoint rising from his ruined chest- “is getting old. It hurts, every time.”

Not that Thanatos thought the escape plans were a good idea. He opposed them at first, was crushed when Zagreus had attempted to leave without saying goodbye. And then he’d seen how Zagreus had been improving, seen a renewed sense of determination in his step, a lightness to his outlook. He never thought that there would be a limit to Zag’s boundless optimism, but they’d found it, here on the bloody killing fields of Elysium.

“Zagreus, I- I thought you wanted to find your mother?”

“I did.” The Prince’s head drooped, and his voice seemed to come from very far away. “I do. But I don’t know if she wants me to find her. If she even wants me. She abandoned me, you know? Didn’t want me. Just like Father. Just like everyone.”

Words didn’t come easily to Thanatos at the best of times, and especially not when cradling his rapidly expiring best friend. Action had always served him better, although he could be too cautious with that as well. But Zagreus looked so miserable, and Thanatos’ chest ached for him, and he loved Zagreus so much even though he had tried to leave a hundred and one times, had left _him-_

Before he could talk himself out of it, Thanatos leaned forward, tilted his head and kissed Zagreus. Cool lips met slick and bloody. Zagreus moaned, opening his mouth, and Thanatos deepened the kiss, wrapping a hand around the back of Zagreus’ neck like he could anchor him there. It was just like in Thanatos’ dreams - Zagreus warm and responsive below him, his hands sliding along Thanatos’ exposed ribcage and clenching at the fabric of his toga. He could stay here forever, but-

Thanatos felt the tell-tale drain of death. He pulled back, Zagreus’s heavy gaze following him. Time for an explanation, then. “I want you, Zagreus. I can’t speak for anyone else. But I want you. I just thought you should know.”

Zagreus smiled. Even through the pain that lined his face, his smile glowed, and Thanatos drank it in. “Likewise, Than,” he said, simply, and pushed forward again for another kiss, until a coughing fit forced him down, head braced against Thanatos’ chest and his arms clinging to Than’s clothes to stay even halfway upright.

The river Styx rose and puddled through the grass around them. “Time to go,” Zagreus gasped with a wet-sounding breath. “I’ll see you at the House then, Than?”

He’s expecting me to disappear, Thanatos realized, and felt a hot rush of shame. “I’ll take you,” he offered.

“You will? It’s out of your way, I know, but if you want to stay…” Zagreus said hopefully. 

“Yeah, Zag. I’ll stay.” Thanatos wrapped his arms around Zagreus, cradling the Prince’s head on his chest. “But I’ll see you out here again for attempt 102, right?”

The head against him nodded. “Thank you, Thanatos,” Zagreus whispered.

Death held his Prince until the water closed above their heads and they were swept away in the red, red sea, together.

**Author's Note:**

> don't mind me, just working through some depression/ideation by writing a character who...dies every day??
> 
> title from Red Rain by Peter Gabriel


End file.
